Mark w



(No Model.)

W. FOSTER...

GATE.

No. 399,981. Patented Mar. 19, 1889..

' ll'nirnn dramas ATENT OFFICE.

MARK V. FOSTER, OF PEOATONTCA, ILLINOIS.

GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,981, dated March 19, 1889.

Application filed Marci 19, 1888. Renewed ebruary 19, 1889- Serial No. 300,494. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, MARK W. FOSTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pecatonica, in the county of Vinnebago and State 1 gates, consisting, essentially, of a gate of ordinary construction mounted on a trackway within a supporting-frame to move endwise therein, means for imparting an endwise movement to the gate thus mounted to open and close the same, and means for adjusting it vertically to override obstructions also means for preventing animals from opening the gate. These, with other improvements represented in the drawing, and to be more particularly described, constitute the subj ectmatter of this application.

In the accompanying drawing I have represented my improvements isometrically. The main supporting-frame of my improved gate consists of lengthwise sills 1 and end sills, 2, connecting the lengthwise sills. Vertical posts 3 rise from the ends of the lengthwise sills, and a trackway, 4, is suspended between the upper portions of the vertical posts, and is made vertically adjustable in its connection with the posts by means of a series of holes. Side rails, 5, connect the vertical posts on opposite sides between the lengtlnvise sills and the trackway, and form a guide to the endwise movement of the gate suspended from the trackway.

The gate is of ordinary construction in the main, consisting, essentially, of lengthwise bars 6, connected at suitable intervals by vertical bars 7, 8, and 9, of which the bars 8 and 9 rise above the trackway on opposite sides thereof. A lengthwise bar, 10, is pivoted at one end between the vertical bars 9, and is made vertically adj ustable at its other end by means of a series of holes formed in the vertical bars 8, by means of which the forward or free end of the gate may be elevated or depressed to correspond to the inclination of the ground. Traveling sheaves 11, to engage the traekway, are fixed to the end portions of the lengthwise bar 10, forming a truck or carriage,on which the gate is supported to move endwise in its supporting-frame. A sheave, 12, placed between the vertical bars 9, to engage the under edge of the trackway, serves to hold the gate in place thereon. One of the lengthwise bars 6 is provided with a rear extension, 13, 011 which a counterbalance-weight, 1a, is made lengtl'lwise adjustable to properly balance the gate 011 its trackway. Pedestals -15, of any suitable construction, to support the operating mechanism of the gate, are placed at a proper distance from the gate on opposite sides of the gate-supporting frame, and are held in their relative position by means of bars 16, which connect them with the lengthwise sills of the supportingframe. An operating-lever consisting of the arm 17 and open frame of trapezoidal form consisting of a bar, 18, parallel with the operating-arm, and end bars, 19 and 20, connecting the bar 18 with the operating-arm 17, is pivoted at 21 to the upper face of the pedestal. An eccentric, 22, with hand-lever 23 attached, is pivotally connected at 24 to the pedestal within the open trapezoidal frame in such a manner that an alternate horizontal movement of the hand-lever will impart a like movement to the operating-arm 17.

For the purpose of preventing undue wear of the operating-lever in its movements upon the pedestal, a plate, 25, preferably of metal, is placed on the pedestal, over which the operating-lever is made to move in operating the gate.

To protect the operating-lever in its connection with the pedestal, a cover, 26, is placed over the operating parts.

A pitman, .7, connects the free end of the operating-lever 17 with a transverse bar, 28, fixed to the rear end of the gate, on which it is made vertically adjustable, for a purpose to appear hereinafter.

From the foregoing it will be seen that al ternating movements of the hand-lever 23 will impart endwise movement to the gate in one or the other direction, corresponding to the alternate movements of the hand-lever. Thus in approaching the gate the movement of the hand-lever toward the gate will cause it to open, and the opposite movement of the hand-lever will close it.

By means of the vertical adjustability of the track the gate maybe adjusted to any under the gate.

height within the limits of the devices, to cause it to override snows or other obstructions, or to permit smaller animals to pass When adjusting the gate, it will be necessary to adjust the transverse bar 28 on the rear end of the gate to correspond with the vertical adjustment of the gate. Vertical posts 29, with inward. edges 30 flaring outward, are joined at their upper ends by a transverse bar, 31, forming a latch post, which is fixed in the ground in position to receive the free end of the gate when closed. A rod or bolt, 32, is passed through the vertical posts at or near the upper edge of the gate, and by means of a series of holes formed in the posts in vertical lineis made vertically adjustable to the height of the gate. The forward upper end of the gate is provided with a \l-formed guide, 83, projecting beyond the gate, to insure the entrance of the gate between the vertical posts. A catch-hook, 34:, is fixed on the forward upper corner of the gate to pass under the transverse rod 32 in such position as to engage the rod to prevent the opening of the gate if from any cause its free end should be raised. The employment of the eccentric in connection with the operating-lever serves to increase the movement or throw of the hand-lever for the purpose of giving greater purchase or leverage to move and to operate the gate.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with a srqaportingframe, of a horizontal trackway, a gate havinga rail extending rearward of a vertical line drawn at the rear of the points of contact of the gate with the said trackway, and a counterbalance adjustably secured to the rear extension of said rail, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a supporting-frame, a horizontal trackway secured in stable ad justment to and made vertically adjustable in its connection with the supporting-frame, a gate supported on said trackway, and a counter-balance secured to the gate at a point to the rear of the points where the gate engages said trackway, substantially as set forth.

The combination of a supporting-frame, a horizontal trackway, a carriage secured to the vertical supports of the gate in stable adjustment and engaging said trackway, the gate suspended from the said carriage, a roller between the vertical supports of the gate to engage the under edge of the trackway, and a weight adjustably secured at one end to counterbalance its opposite end, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of an operating-lever havingapivotal connection with the pedestalsupport, an eccentric and hand lever having a pivotal support within an open frame secured to the operating-lever, and a link-connection of the operating-lever with the gate, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the latch-post, of a gate having a V-formed guide to enter Within the latch-post, a vertically-adj ustable rod, and a safetycatch to engage the rod, substantially as set forth.

MARK WV. FOSTER.

Witnesses:

A. O. BEHEL, E. BEHEL. 

